Starter for internal-combustion engines.



B. VOLKMAR. STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. 211101111011 311.111) JAN. 12, 1911.

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est:

I Inventor:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.,WAS'HING10N. Bic.

Patented May 26, 1914.

B. VOLKMAR. STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1911.

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COLUMIIA PLANOGIAIH CO. WASHINGTON, D- C" Patented May 26, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IBERNHARD VOLKMAR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN'OR TO VOLKMAR AUTO STARTER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1914.

Application filed January 12, 1911. Serial No. 602,141.

, new and useful Improvements in Starters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to starters for in-' ternal combustion engines and more particularly to a type thereof adapted to turn the 7 engine over a suflicient number of times to insure the firing of the initial charge, and to be reset by the subsequent operation of the engine.

One object of my invention is to provide a spring actuated starting device embodying therein but few parts, of simple design, wherein the driving member when released, will, under the control of its spring, turn the engine over a suflicient number of times to insure the compression and ignition of the charge, and wherein said spring will be automatically rewound from the engine, the engine shaft, while being normally under the control of said driving member in starting, being free to rotate independently thereof when running under its own power.

A further object is to provide a starter wherein the driving member will be so coupled to the springs as to transmit the rotative movement of said spring to the engine shaft and cause said spring to resist or absorb any reaction upon said driving member through the kick-back of the engine.

A still further object is to provide a starter wherein the spring power will be applied, and the springs rewound, through one and the same rotative shaft, thus materially reducing the number of parts required and simplifying the structure of the starter.

A still further object is to provide a starter wherein the springs will be connected to the driving member in a manner to permit their convenient insertion or removal from the starter mechanism. 7

A still further object is to provide a starter wherein the controlling means will have the twofold function of holding the driving member in a manner to permit it to be released at will, and holding the spring tension as the spring is rewound by the rewinding mechanism.

A still further object is to provide a starter wherein the rewinding mechanism will be held inactive until the spring tension has been entirely exhausted, thus permitting said rewinding mechanism to act directly upon the driving member, and avoiding any possibility of said rewinding mechanism becoming operative while the engine is being turned over under the control of the spring of the starter.

A still further object is to provide a starter wherein the engine will be relieved from the load of rewinding until the spring in the starter has exhausted its power and the rewinding will be accomplished rapidly and by a minimum application of engine power.

A still further object is to provide a starter wherein the rewinding mechanism will be operative sufficiently rapidly to permit the reapplication of the power of the spring to the engine within a reasonable time after any actuation of said starter.

A still further object is to provide a starter embodying therein a driving mechanism and a rewinding mechanism, wherein the rewinding mechanism will be automatically disconnected or uncoupled from the driving mechanism and will be automatically connected or coupled thereto when it is desired to rewind the spring, to accomplish the automatic rewinding of said spring.

A still further object is to provide a rewinding meohanism embodying therein an oscillatory member actuated from a cam upon the driven member, or member coupled to the engine shaft, wherein, when the spring is properly rewounel, said oscillatory member will be held out of engagement with said cam and will at the same time throw the means controlled thereby, for imparting movement to the driving member for rewinding the spring, out of its operative position in a manner to permit the freerotation of said member in turning over the engine.

A still further object is to provide a rewinding mechanism embodying therein a reciprocatory clutch member adapted to alternately clutch and release the driving member under the control of an oscillatory member actuated through the rotation of the engine shaft, which oscillatory member will apply power to said clutch member in a manner to automatically set same upon the driving member at the initiation of the reciprocatory movement of said clutch and automatically release said clutch from said memher at the end of the direct reciprocation of said clutch. And a still further object is to provide a starter which will be substantially noiseless in operation and wherein the various clutch mechanisms employed will set instantaneously, irrespective of the positions of parts and thus prevent the development of momentum or impetus in the spring controlled member sufliciently to develop power great enough to break said clutch member or render it otherwise inoperative.

The invention consists in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and de scribed and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical section through a starter embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an outside elevation of the clutch head; Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of said head showing fragmentary portions of the friction rims; Fig. 4 is a detailed side elevation of the controlling mechanism for the rewinding mechanism; and Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the entire rewinding mechanism, illustrating its mode of operation in rewinding.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates a casing adapted to be attached to an automobile chassis in any desired manner to aline the coupling member, carried by the driven member, with the engine shaft.

Preferably the head 2 of the casing 1 is made integral therewith, and the opposite or clutch head 3 is made detachable from said casing to facilitate the manufacture and assembling of the device.

The driving member comprises a hub 41 carrying a disk 5 upon which are two circular rims 6 and 7 adapted respectively to cooperate with the controlling and with the rewinding clutch, and with the clutch by means of which said driving mechanism is coupled to the driven member 8. The rims 6 and 7 are concentric, with their axes coinciding with the axis of said driving and said driven members and rotate in unison in either direction.

The driven member 8 carries a square head 9 adapted to engage the square end of an engine shaft, this mode of coupling the starter with the engine shaft affording sufficient flexibility to compensate for any inexactitude in the alinement of the driven member and the engine shaft.

Circumferentially of the disk 5 is a groove 10 in which are seated one or more guide screws 11, carried by the flange on the head 3, which insure the accurate positioning of parts and eliminate lost motion of the disk while permitting the free rotation thereof. To facilitate the accurate positioning of the disk, I provide a plurality of studs 12 carried by the head 3.

The hub 41: and driven member or shaft 8, rotate about a common axis, one end of said driven member having a bearing in said hub.

The driving member is actuated by one or more coiled springs 13, two such springs being shown in the starter illustrated in the drawings, separated by a partition 15 to prevent interference of one spring with the other. One end of these springs is secured to the casing 1 and the other end thereof is attached to a sleeve 14 slidably mount-ed upon the hub 4E and removably attached thereto by means of a slot and tongue connection 16 insuring the rotation of the head 1 under said springs, while at the same time permitting said springs to be removed with the casing without disturbing the driving member and the parts appurtenant thereto.

In a device of this character, it is essential that the driven member be actuated by the driving member and that the former shall be capable of rotating independently of the latter, so that, w ion the charge in the engine is ignited, the acceleration of the driven member by the engine will not injure the mechanism of the starter. To secure this result, I provide a coupling be tween the driving and the driven members consisting of a hub on the driven member having a shoulder 17 and a. seat adjacent thereto, and a friction clutch 18 having a slot therein straddling the rim 7, said pawl being normally toppled by means of a spring 19 so as to be set upon said rim in a manner to result in a movement of said rim in one direction developing a clamping action by said slotted member or clutch sufficient to cause said rim to transmit power to said shaft through the shoulder 17 upon said hub. As long as the said rim continues to exert this clamping action, the clutch remains set, but when the speed of the driven member 8 exceeds that of said rim, such clamping action is prevented and the clutch is automatically released, thus permitting the said driven member to have movement in one direction only, independently of the driving member. A reverse movement of said member, however, would serve to set this clutch and thus permit the utilization of the driving member as an anti kickback in a manner which will be more fully referred to hereinafter.

To prevent the accidental displacement of the clutch 18, I mount it upon its seat by means of a pin and socket 20, these parts,

however, having no influence on the mode of operation of the clutch.

To place the starter under the control of the operator, I provide a holding clutch composed of a slotted member 21, the slot in said member being of a width and conformation to permit it to straddle and clamp upon the rim 6. Adjacent to the bottom of the member 21 is a heavy'stud 22 which serves as a fulcrum about which the member 21 is toppled and which absorbs the strains thereon from the springs 13. Acting upon the member 21, above the stud 22, is a spring 23 which normally tends to topple said memher so as to set it in a manner to cause any stress thereon from the rim 6 to result in a wedging or clamping action sufficiently great to prevent any movement of said rim relative to said member. Mounted in the clutch head 3 is an eccentric 24L, adapted to engage the upper portion of the member 21 and overcome the tension of the spring 23 in a manner to unseat said member and prevent the clamping action above referred to, thus releasing the rim 6 and permitting the entire driving member to freely rotate. The shaft 25 of the eccentric 2A has mounted thereon a crank arm 26 moving between stops 27 and 28 attached to which arm is a pull-cord 29 by means of which the driving mechanism may be released from any desired point. The spring 30 serves to normally restore the eccentric 2 1 to normal permitting the clutch member 21 to automatically set.

To prevent the accidental displacement of the slotted member 21, I provide a supplemental stud 31 adjacent to the stud 22.

To simplify the mechanisms of the starter,

I provide a rewinding mechanism operative through a reversal of the movement of the driving member, the manner of coupling the driving member to the driven member permitting such reversal of movement without the binding of parts. This construction necessitates, however, that said rewinding mechanism shall be normally disengaged from the driving member as otherwise it would set said driving member against the operative movement for starting the engine. It also necessitates the employment of means for accomplishing this normal disengage ment and the timely engagement of the rewinding mechanism to insure the rapid tensioning of the springs to enable the starter to be used again after a short lapse of time.

Mounted upon the rim 6 is a friction clutch member 32, similar in construction to the member 21 and set upon said rim so as to have a clamping action thereon under the same movement of the rim as said member 21, thus providing said friction clutch with a plurality of similarly acting clutch members, one of which serves as a feed clutch in rewinding the spring and the other as a holding clutch for retaining the tension of the spring. The clutch member 32 is loosely mounted upon said rim, and is acted upon by the spring 33 extending at a tangent to said rim, thus slewing said member around so as to release the rim from the clamping action of the opposite surfaces of the slot in said member and normally feed said member away from the member 21.

In rewinding the spring, the member 32 is reciprocated by an oscillatory lever 34 pivoted to the head 3 eccentrically of the rim 6 so as to cause the are described by the arm of said lever engaging said clutch member to differ from the arc of movement of the rim. One arm of the lever 34 has a plurality of studs 35 and 36 thereon which straddle the rim 6 and engage the clutch member 32 upon opposite sides of said rim, the inner stud 35, serving to set said clutch member 32 upon, and apply the rewinding power to, said rim, and the outer said stud engaging said clutch at the end of the oscillation of said lever only, so as to straighten up this clutch member and disengage it from said rim so as to permit saidmember to return with said lever preparatory to the next feeding movement thereof, the spring 33 accomplishing the return movement of said member. The other arm of the lever 31 is provided with an anti-friction roller 37 adapted to bear upon the eccentric 38 carried by the driving member 4. The spring 39 acting upon the stud-bearing arm of said lever holds the roller 37 in engagement with said eccentric and causes the return reciprocation of said lever. As the clutch member 32 operates under similar conditions to the clutch member 21, it is essential that the member 32 shall be disengaged from the rim 6 at all times excepting" when the spring is being rewound. This result I accomplish by providing means, as a spring pressed latch member 40, carried by the bell crank lever 41, which means are adapted to engage the lever 34: and hold it out of engagement with the eccentric 38, thus causing the studs 35 and 36 upon the lever 31 to normally hold the clutch member 32 in its forward, released position.

To insure the timely actuation of the lever 34:, at the initiation and conclusion of the rewinding interval, I provide means actuated in synchronism with the driving member 1, which will determine the operative interval of said lever. This mechanism comprises a star wheel 42, a tappet arm 43 adapted to alternately engage the arms of the lever 41 and oscillate this lever to throw the latch member 40 into a position where it will be engaged by the arm of the lever 34;

and prevent its return into engagement withthe eccentric 38 under the spring 39. Actin upon the star wheel 42 is a stud 4 1 carried by the disk 5, thus causing a step-by step actuation of the tappet 43, so that with a given number of revolutions of said disk in one direction, said tappet will throw the latch member 40 into engagement with the lever 34, and with the same number of revolutions in the reverse direction, will disengage the latch member 40 from said lever and permit it to drop into engagement with said eccentric.

To prevent the impact of the stud 44 with the star wheel 42 from causing it and the tappet 43 to overrun or spin, I mount upon the shaft of said star wheel a second star wheel 45 which is engaged by a spring pressed pawl 46, thus retarding the rotation of the star wheel in a manner to limit its movement to that imparted to it during the actual engagement of the stud 44 therewith.

To permit the engine to be started by hand in case conditions are such as to prevent the charge being ignited even though the engine be turned over by the spring 13, 1 form impact coupling surfaces upon the outer end of the driven member 8 and mount within the hub 4, which is made hollow for this purpose, a cooperating impact clutch member 47 having an ordinary crank handle 48. The spring 49 normally disconnects the coupling between the shaft 8 and the crank shaft 47, a collar 50 upon said shaft and a face plate 51 upon the head 2 of the casing 1, holding these parts in the proper position.

The operation of the herein described starting device is substantially as follows In assembling the device, the various clutches, the driven member, and the driving member 4, with its disk 5 and rims 6 and 7, are assembled within the flange of the head 3, and the screw or screws 11 inserted in the groove 10 to hold these parts in this position. The springs 13 are then wound upon the sleeve 14 with the partition 15 between them, and said sleeve slipped upon the hub 4 of the driving member, the slot and tongue connection 16, between these parts, uniting said sleeve to said head in a manner to cause the spring energy to be transmitted from said sleeve to said driving member through said hub. The casing 1 is then slipped over the springs and the flange of the head 3, and bolted to place, the springs having first'been released so as to cause the outer ends thereof to engage said casing. hen so assembled, the various parts will be set as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the clutch 21 holding the tension of the springs 13 and the clutch 32 being operative upon the rim 6. Each of the clutches 18, 21 and 32 is assembled in the machine by passing the slotted portion thereof over the rim 6 or 7 upon which it is designed to act in the proper re lation to the shoulder 17 the stops 22 and 31 and cam 24, and the lever 34 respectively. The springs 19, 23 and 33 will normally I cant or tilt their respective clutches so that the diagonally opposite edges thereof will bite on the rim. Hence stresses toward these springs will have the effect of increasing the efiective bite, and hence prevent any movement of the rim 7, or cause the rim 6 to carry the clutch 18 with it in its rotary movement. Movement of the clutches, or of the rims in the opposite direction will, however, have the effect of canting or tilting the clutches away from their springs and thus disengage the edge normally acting upon the rims, permitting these rims to move freely in that direction. The clutches are merely suspended on their rims, there being no tendency for them to slip therefrom even though the head 3 were spaced far enough from the rims to permit sufficient movement of the clutches to allow them to slip from the rims, which is not the case in the form of invention shown. The pin 20, prevents a loss of adjustment of the clutch 18. The entire starter is then secured to an automobile chassis or engine frame, with the coupling member 9 of the driven member connected to the engine shaft.

hen it is desired to start the engine, the shaft 25 is turned through the crank arm 26 thereon and the pull cord 29, thus oscillating the eccentric 24 which, through its engagement with that portion of the clutch member 21 outside the rim 6, oscillates said member against the tension of its spring 23 in a manner to afford sufficient clearance between the sides of the slot in said member and said rim to relieve said rim from any clamping or braking action and permitting the entire driving mechanism to rotate freely under the tension of the spring 13. The operative moment of the starter will be sulliciently short to require only a momentary release of the controlling clutch member 21, said member when permitted to reset, being restored by its spring 23 to its normal locked position which permits the movement of the rim 6 against the tension of the springs, but not under the springs. hen so set, the abutment 22 receives and absorbs the power of the springs. lVhen the pull member 29 is released, the spring 30 restores the crank 26, shaft 25, and eccentric 24 to their normal positions. Under normal conditions the spring 19 topples the clutch member 18 in a manner to clamp it upon the rim 7 thus causing any rotary movement of the disk 5 and the rims 6 and 7 to rotate the driven member 8 through the engagement of the clutch member 18 with the shoulder 17 upon said driven member, thus applying power to the engine sufiicient to turn it over a number of times, determined by the nun1- ber of rotations of the driving member.

If the explosive charge in the engine should ignite when the engine is first turned over, and the speed of the driven member 8 should eXceed that of the driving member and its rim '7, before the spring energy is exhausted, this will automatically release the clutch 18 from the rim 7 and cause it to move freely about said rim. This results in a construction wherein the driving member is coupled to the driven member by an auto-- matic clutch which will transmit the power of said driving member to said driven member and at the same time permit said driven member to rotate independently of said driving member even while power is being applied to said driving member. As the driving member rotates, the pin thereon will engage one tooth of the star wheel 42, and turn the tappet 13 a fraction of a revolution, with each rotation of the disk 5, the continued rotation of said tappet ultimately causing it to engage one arm of the bell crank lever 41, rocking said lever and the latch member 10 carried thereby away from the rocking lever 8 1 and permitting said last named lever to oscillate under its spring 39 to bring the roller 37 thereon into engagement with the eccentric 88 upon the driven member 8, the stop 52 limiting the movement of said lever in both directions. As the lever 8a oscillates to bring the roller 87 into engagement with the eccentric 38, the spring 88 carries the clutch member 32 backward with the studs and 36. When the roller 37 leaves the low position of the eccentric 38, or upon the initiation of the direct oscillatory movement of said lever 34, the stud engages the bottom of the clutch member 32 and clamps it upon the rim 6, the subsequent movement of said 7 lever through said clutch imparting a reverse movement to rotate the rim 6 and the hub 1 through the dist). The arc described by the stud 36 being greater than that of the stud 35, and of the rim 6, as the lever 341 reaches the limit of its direct reciprocation, said stud 36 will engage the top of the lever 82 outside of the rim 6 and straighten it up sufficiently to overcome the clamping action and permit said clutch member to return to its former position with the return of said lever. The clutch member 21 holds the rim (3 against return movement when the clutch member 32 is released and is automatically released by the feeding movement of said rim under said member 82. Upon the reversal of the rotative movement of the disk in rewinding the clutch member 18 will be automatically unseated on the rim 7, and permit said rim to turn freely, the clutch in the meantime moving about said rim with the shaft 8. As the driving member is reversely rotated to rewind the springs, the

pin 4-4: through its engagement with the star wheel 12 will reverse the movement of the tappet 18 until it engages the other arm ofthe bell crank lever 41 and throws the latch member into the path of the lever 34, so

that with the next outward movement of said lever, it will. engage the latch member 10 and be held by said member out of engagement with the eccentric 38 as said lever reaches the limit of its direct movement and. while the clutch 32 is released from the rim 6, thus leaving the controlling clutch member 21 set and the rewinding clutch member 82 released so that the starter when rewound is normally set ready for actuation.

It will be observed that the operation of the starter is automatic throughout, and that inasmuch as the clutches act solely through friction, they will operate instantaneously without allowing the development of sufiicient impetus or momentum to endanger the various parts of the apparatus. Furthermore, the utilization of friction clutches throughout eliminates practically all noise in the operation of the starter excepting that incidental to the whirr of the springs in unwinding.

If upon the actuation of the starter, the engine charge is not ignited, and the springs are exhausted, the engine may be started by means of the crank 48 in the usual manner. Should a kick-back occur from the engine while starting same manually, the power of said kick-back will be transmitted to the driven member 8 and the reverse movement thereof will set the clutch 18 upon the rim 7 and transmit the power of the kick-back through the driving member 4 to the springs 13 which will absorb said power in a manner to eliminate any possible danger to the operator there from.

It will be observed that the clutches 18 and 21 are set upon the rims 7 and 6 respectively by the springs 19 and 28, the clamping action, however, being developed by the power applied to said clutches through said rims. The clutch 32 is set by the resistance of said rim, or inversely by the power of the lever 34:, and the clutch 18, in case of a kick-back is seated by the resistance of said springs, or inversely, by the power from the shaft 8 as against the inertia of the said springs.

In rewinding, the movement of the mem ber 82 with each rotation of the engine shaft is so small as to place no substantial load upon the engine, and as the speed of the en gine will ordinarily be high, the springs will be rewound in a fraction of a minute so as to have the starter again ready for use almost instantly after it has been actuated.

It will be observed that the springs 13 are automatically rewound by the engine power.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such are largely a matter of design and may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein a spring actuated driving member, a driven member, an auto matically acting clutch mechanism comprising two parts, one of which is carried by said driving member and the other of which is carried by said driven member, said clutch mechanism being adapted to be set by the driving member under its springs, and to be released by a movement of said driven member in the same direction, means tending to normally set said clutch mechanism, said last named means being rendered inoperative by a reverse movement or" said driving member, normally inoperative, automatically acting rewinding means, operative through said driven member, whereby said driving member may be reversely rotated to rewind said springs, automatically acting means making said rewinding means operative and restoring it to normal, and controlling means adapted to hold or release the spring tension.

2. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein a spring actuated driving member, a driven member, an automatically acting clutch mechanism comprising two parts, one of which is carried by said driving member and the other of which is carried by said driven member, said clutch mechanism being adapted to be set by the driving member under its springs, and to be released by a movement of the driven member in the same direction, means tending to normally set said clutch mechanism, said last named means being rendered inoperative by a reverse movement of said driving member, normally inoperative, automatically acting rewinding through said driven member, whereby said driving member may be reversely rotated to l rewind said springs, automatically acting means making said rewinding means operative and restoring it to normal, means actuated by the driving member whereby said last named means are alternately actuated to determine the operative interval of said driving member and the rewinding interval thereof, and controlling means adapted to hold or release the spring tension.

3. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein a spring actuated driving member, a driven member, an automatically acting clutch mechanism comprising two parts, one of which is carried by said driving member and the other of which is carried by said driven member, said clutch mechanism being adapted to be set by the driving member under its springs, and to be means, operative member is operative, said released by a movement of said driven mem ber in the same direction, means tending to normally set said clutch mechanism, said last named means being rendered inoperative by a reverse movement of said driving member, normally inoperative, automatically acting rewinding means, operative through said driven member, whereby said driving member may be reversely rotated to rewind said springs, automatically acting means making said rewinding means operative and restoring it to normal, means whereby said last named means are actuated with a step by step movement through successive rotations of said driving member in either direction to alternately determine the operative interval of said driving member and the rewinding interval thereof, and controlling means adapted to hold or release the spring tension.

4. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a power spring, a driving member having a plurality of concentric clutch members one arranged adjacent to the axis of said driving member and the other adjacent to the perimeter thereof, a driven member, a clutch member carried thereby adapted to cooperate with the clutch member adjacent to the axis of said driving member whereby power is transmitted at a short leverage from said driving member to said driven member, means actuated from the engine and cooperating with said clutch member adjacent to the perimeter of said driving member whereby the rewinding power is applied to said driving member upon a long leverage, and automatically operating means whereby said last named means are made operative through the rotation of said driving member.

5. A starter for internal combustion en gines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch mechanism comprising one element carried by said driving member, and a cooperating element carried by said driven member, said cooperating members being operative when said driving clutch mechanism being inoperative when said driving member is locked, whereby said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may rot-ate independently thereof, means normally holding said driving mem ber against rotation under its spring, controlling means for said last named means whereby said driving member may be released, a normally inoperative rewinding clutch member acting upon said driving member, means operative from the engine, whereby said driving member may be rotated through the clutch member to rewind its spring, and automatically operating means whereby said rewinding clutch and the means operating same will be made inoperative when the spring is rewound and will automatically be made operative after said driving member is actuated.

6. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member having a plurality of concentric friction rims, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch member, operating solely by friction, carried by said driven member and cooperating with one of said rims, whereby said clutch is set when said driving member is operative and is released when said member is locked, and said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may rotate independently thereof, a clutch operating solely through friction, cooperating with said other rim, whereby said driving member is held against rotation under its spring, means whereby said last named clutch may be released, a normally inoperative rewinding clutch acting upon the same rim as said last named clutch, means operative from the engine whereby said driving member may be reversely rotated through said rewinding clutch to rewind its spring, and automatically operating means whereby said rewinding clutch and the means operating same will remain inoperative when the spring is rewound and will be automatically made operative after said driving member is actuated.

7. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member having a plurality of concentric friction rims, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch member, operating solely by friction, carried by said driven member and cooperating with one of said rims, whereby said clutch is set when said dr'ving member is operative and is released when said member is locked, and said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may rotate independently thereof, a clutch operating solely through friction, cooperating with said other rim, whereby said driving member is held against rotation under its spring, a spring tending to normally set said clutch upon said rim, an abutment adapted to take up the strains upon said clutch, controlling means acting against said spring to release said clutch, a normally inoperative rewinding clutch acting upon the same rim as said last named clutch, means operative from the engine whereby said driving member may be reversely rotated through said rewinding clutch to rewind its spring, and automatically operating means whereby said rewinding clutch and the means operating same will remain inoperative when the spring is rewound and will be automatically made operative after said driving member is actuated.

8. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member, having a plurality of concentric friction rims, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch member, operating solely by friction, carried by said driven member and cooperating with one of said rims, whereby said clutch is set when said driving member is operative and is released when said member is locked, and said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may rotate independently thereof, a clutch operating solely through friction, cooperating with said other rim, whereby said driving member is held against rotation under its spring, a spring tending to normally set said clutch upon said rim, an abutment adapted to take up the strains upon said clutch, an eccentric mounted adjacent to, and adapted to oscillate, said clutch against said spring to release it, a controlling lever controlling said eccentric, a normally inoperative rewinding clutch acting upon the same rim. as said last named clutch, means operative from the engine whereby said driving member may be reversely rotated through said rewinding clutch to rewind its spring, and automatically operating means whereby said rewinding clutch and the means operating same will remain inoperative when the spring is rewound and will be automatically made operative after said driving member is actuated.

9. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member having thereon a circular friction rim, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch mechanism com prising one element carried by said driving member, and a cooperating element carried by said driven member, said cooperating members being operative when said driving member is operative, said clutch mechanism being inoperative when said driving member is locked, whereby said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may rotate independently thereof, a holding clutch whereby said driving member is set against rotation under its spring, means tending to constantly set said clutch, controlling means whereby said clutch may be released, a rewinding clutch, operating solely through friction, acting on said rim, an oscillatory lever acting on said rewinding clutch, an eccentric on the driven member adapted to oscillate said lever, means adapted to normally hold said lever in the raised position whereby said rewinding clutch is normally held inoperative upon said rim, and means actuated from the driving member whereby said lever will be automatically held raised or permitted to en gage said eccentric to alternately permit the rotation of said driving member with said driven member, or in the reverse position to rewind its spring.

10. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member having thereon a circular friction rim, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch mechanism comprising one element carried by said driving member, and a cooperating element carried by said driven member, said cooperating members being operative when said driving member is operative, said clutch mechanism being inoperative when said driving member is locked, whereby said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may be rotated independently thereof, a holding clutch whereby said driving member is set against rotation under its spring, means tending to constantly set said clutch, controlling means whereby said clutch may be released, a rewinding clutch, operating solely through friction, acting on said rim, an oscillatory lever acting on said rewinding clutch, an eccentric on the driven member adapted to oscillate said lever, a bell crank lever mounted adjacent to one arm of said oscillatory lever, a spring pressed latch member thereon adapted to be projected into the path of said lever, a star wheel mounted adjacent to said bell crank lever, a tappet actuated by said star wheel and a pin carried by said driving member and adapted to actuate said star wheel with a step-by-step movement with the successive rotations of said driving member, whereby said latch member will be engaged with or disengaged from said oscillatory lever by said tappet to alternately position said oscillatory lever so as to permit the rotation of said driving member with said driven member, or in the reverse position to rewind its spring.

11. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein a rewinding mechanism consisting of a continuous circular friction rim, a slotted friction clutch straddling said rim, a spring normally tending to retract said clutch member, an oscillatory lever actuated from the engine and adapted to engage said clutch member and force it into engagement with said rim, said oscillatory member having thereon a plurality of studs adapted to engage said clutch member in sequence upon opposite sides of said rim, whereby said clutch member will be set during the greater part of the direct reciprocation of said lever by one of said studs and will be released from its frictional engagement with said rim upon the termination of such direct reciprocation, whereby it will be permitted to return with said lever to reengage said rim for a subsequent feeding movement.

12. A starter for internal combustion engines, embodying therein a spring actuated driving member having thereon a circular friction rim, a driven member, an automatically actuated clutch member mechanism comprising one element carried by said driving member, and a cooperating element carried by said driven member, said cooperating members being operative when said driving member is operative, said clutch mechanism being inoperative when said driving member is locked, whereby said driven member will be rotated with said driving member and may rotate independently thereof, a holding clutch whereby said driving member is set against rotation under its spring, means tending to constantly set said clutch, controlling means whereby said clutch may be released, a rewinding clutch, operating solely through friction, acting on said rim, an oscillatory lever acting on said rewinding clutch, an eccentric on the driven member adapted to oscillate said lever, a bell crank lever mounted adjacent to one arm of said oscillatory lever, a spring pressed latch member thereon adapted to be projected into the path of said lever, a star wheel mounted adjacent to said bell crank lever, a tappet actuated by said star wheel, a pin carried by said driving member and adapted to actuate said star wheel with a step-by-step movement with the successive rotations of said driving member, whereby said latch member will be engaged with or disengaged from said oscillatory lever by said tappet to alternately position said oscillatory lever so as to permit the rotation of said driving member with said driven member, or in the reverse position to rewind its spring, and means for preventing the overrun of said star wheel and tappet.

13. A starter for internal combustion engines, including therein a driving member embodying a flanged head, a hub projecting from said head, a sleeve slidably mounted upon and rotatable with said hub, springs, one end of each of which is secured to said sleeve, and a detachable stationary casing inclosing said springs, the other end of said springs being attached to said casing in combination with a driven member, means whereby said driving member may be coupled, and caused to apply power, to said driven member.

14. A starter for internal combustion engines embodying therein a driving member and a driven member, means holding said driving member against rotation, a friction clutch mechanism carried by one of said members and operative directly upon the other, said friction clutch being so set as to cause said driving member to transmit power to said driven member and to permit said driven member to rotate independently of 10 member, and a manually operative crank shaft adapted to be coupled to said driven member.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto affiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of Januar 1911.

BERNHARD VOLKMAR.

Witnesses:

F. T. WENTWORTH, EUGENE WENING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G. 

